Managing to recruit Kenji for another hut mission, we headed off in the early hours of the morning to Mount Cook National Park to attempt to do a Mueller Hut to Barron Saddle Hut loop.
The track to Mueller Hut is very well maintained and even has a mixture of well constructed timber and concrete steps – so up all 2000 of them we ascended to snow line and from there skinning and cramponing our way up to the ridge line.
Going down 2000 steps sure is easier than walking up them.
Unfortunately, when we finally gained the ridge on the way to Mueller Hut and got to scope out our intended path to the Barron Saddle hut, the crux point, which is a narrow snow-ledge between sheer rock face above and below did not look enticing to Kenji who flat out shook his head and said no. So, three days and two nights exploring Mueller Hut and surrounds was the go.
The snow ledge crux on the route to the Barron Saddle – big fall onto the Mueller Glacier if things went wrong.
Beautiful sunny and warm weather meant that we could follow the sun and gain great spring skiing. We managed to ski a bit of everything from mellow glaciers to steeper chutes and all with great views all around.
Joel dropping in to another great spring run
Mount Sefton in particular was sending us rapturous applause each day with an almost continuous stream of thunderous icefalls of it’s steep overhanging glaciers.
Icefall avalanche off Mount Sefton
A great three days was had by both Kenji and myself and we were pretty chuffed to have hiked more than 4000 vertical meters over the trip (the tally in the map below is wrong – google earth reports: 4,360meters). As we had intended to do a long loop between huts I left my DSLR in the car and had to rely on my iPhone only.
#Edited some weeks later:- I took a great oblique photo that shows the Mueller area very well.
Oblique of the Mueller Hut area taken from Ball Pass.
The rest of the trip photos are in the gallery below:
Morning carpark shot – Mount Sefton is the big snowy peak in the background – The Mueller Hut is above and behind the ridge with the trees and shrubs (above our heads)
Kenji and an overflowing pack.
The very start of 2000 steps… A long way.
Joel taking a break at Sealy Tarn – About to transition to skis for the rest of the climb
Kenji walking up the Mueller Hut track – nearing Sealy Tarn
Kenji resting before the final push to the Ridge Top.
The snow ledge crux on the route to the Barron Saddle – big fall onto the Mueller Glacier if things went wrong.
Kenji walking towards the Mueller Hut
Mueller Hut – great place to spend a few days
Joel & Mount Sefton
Kenji Walking – Mount Sefton in the background
Joel skiing with the Mueller Glacier far below
Walking up towards the Arnette Plateau with Mount Kitchener in the background.
Kenji with the Mueller Glacier below
Kenji – spring snowboard turns
Kenji and some afternoon icefall avalanching.
This Kea was desperate for food. It almost broke into our outside ‘fridge’ before we stopped it.
I got soo sunburnt… But glorious weather with Lake Pukaki in the distance.
Icefall avalanche off Mount Sefton
The morning is ICY! The sun needs to do it’s magic. Kenji practicing the fine art of being gripped – with a long fall down to the Mueller Glacier below.
Lunch spot – everywhere has really awesome views
Kenji enjoying himself
More walking!
Joel – last run of the day down to the hut
Joy.
Kenji experiences the joys of glacier skiing… soo many steps… so gradual the incline.
Kenji gaining the top of the Metelille Glacier
Kenji coming off the Metelille Glacier
Kenji enjoying a rest stop with Mount Cook perfectly positioned
Joel dropping in to another great spring run
Joel enjoying spring turns
Joel skiing spring chutes
Kenji cramping up steep icy faces in the morning. Great skiing once you it softens.
Long way down to Mt Cook Village
Hanging out in the sun with the view
Ridge skiing before the drop into steep couloirs.
Spring skiing on the way home
Kenji jumping the gap on the ski down to Sealy Tarn
Kenji jumping the gap on the ski down to Sealy Tarn – doesn’t stick the landing
Going down 2000 steps sure is easier than walking up them.
One thought on “Mueller Hut – In the shadow of giants”
Nice one, that walk up to Mueller is brutal. Nature’s Stairmaster! Bad luck about getting to Barron Saddle. I have come the other way (Barron Saddle -> Mueller) and it was one of the most difficult days I have done touring. We spent a lot of time with everything on our back climbing up moraine walls! The run down from Annette Plateau was beautiful though with the great views of Aoraki.
Nice one, that walk up to Mueller is brutal. Nature’s Stairmaster! Bad luck about getting to Barron Saddle. I have come the other way (Barron Saddle -> Mueller) and it was one of the most difficult days I have done touring. We spent a lot of time with everything on our back climbing up moraine walls! The run down from Annette Plateau was beautiful though with the great views of Aoraki.